Neerja Bhanot: The heroism of the Pan Am 73 flight attendant

On September 5, 1986, Pan Am Flight 73 was hijacked by four members of the Abu Nidal Organization while making a stop in Karachi, Pakistan. The aircraft had departed from Mumbai and was en route to New York via Frankfurt.

Neerja Bhanot, the 22-year-old flight purser, led the cabin crew in efforts to protect passengers. When the terrorists attempted to identify American citizens to use as leverage, Bhanot and her colleagues hid passengers' passports in seats and other compartments to prevent the hijackers from isolating them.

The hijacking lasted approximately 16 hours. While the pilots managed to evacuate the aircraft through a cockpit hatch, preventing a forced takeoff, the situation remained critical for those on board. Bhanot ultimately lost her life during the incident, but her actions are credited with saving numerous lives.